What light meter are you using these days?

DPStewart said:
I've been using the $30 APP called Cine Meter II by Adam Wilt.

Yeah...it's an iPhone app...but it frikkin' WORKS.
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This is good to know... did you buy the luxi dome for it as well? I remember reading about this when it first appeared but had forgotten about it. For the price - it would be as much fun to goof with as it would to use on paying gigs, me thinks.
I have a Sekonic L-408 that is zippered in my camera bag. Can't remember the last time I actually used it on a shoot... so maybe I'd occasionally open the app while checking email on a shoot...:)
 
Adam's Cine Meter app came about after yours truly pondered on CML if the camera on an iPhone could be accurately transformed into an exposure and color meter. Adam took on the challenge and I must say did quite an impressive job of it. Certainly the least expensive and most full-featured light meter you're likely to already have in your pocket.
 
Bruce Foreman said:
couple of reviews on the Kenko KFM1100 mentioned it was the old Minolta Autometer IV brought back to life, seems Kenko bought the Minolta meter line and is producing it again supposedly in a stronger case build.

Mine will be here in two days.
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Well, it was delivered yesterday evening about 7:10PM (I'm on the "tail end" of the UPS home delivery route). And it went right back this morning. Doggone thing was 3 stops off and exposures made by it's readings were all 3 stops underexposed compared to my 45 year old Sekonic L-28c and two Panasonic cameras (GH4 and GX7).

So it's back to the drawing board.

At least the old Sekonic seems to be still accurate. At my age I just need a magnifying glass or small loupe to read the "tiny" scales.
 
Bruce, open the back of the head with a screwdriver, and then slide a piece of paper between the contacts and then remove it. Reassemble and then check your readings.
 
Too late.

B&H sent me an RMA and return label within less than an hour after I requested a "return". Dropped it off at a UPS Store this morning. A $248 meter should work without me opening up the case. Anyway it wasn't an urgent need as I still have the 45 year old Sekonic, I just need to attach a small magnifier to the neckstrap so I can see those tiny numbers on the scales on it.
 
markfpv said:
This is good to know... did you buy the luxi dome for it as well? I remember reading about this when it first appeared but had forgotten about it. For the price - it would be as much fun to goof with as it would to use on paying gigs, me thinks.
I have a Sekonic L-408 that is zippered in my camera bag. Can't remember the last time I actually used it on a shoot... so maybe I'd occasionally open the app while checking email on a shoot...:)
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Yeah, got the Luxi Dome to go with it. That's pretty much essential, but still so cheap it's almost negligible.
 
DPStewart said:
Yeah, got the Luxi Dome to go with it.
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Talking about the Luxi dome, I got it to go with my girlfriend's old iPhone 4 and I'm running the app from Luxi, which is free. It's a basic version but it seems to be quite accurate when I compare the reading with my Canon T2i. Pretty much same values with a -1 EV compensation in the app.

I'm wondering two things:
1) Would it worth purchasing the CineMeter II app? It seems more complete and gives the ND compensation, which is nice.
2) Any good information on how to calibrate it with a camera? I guess you would need a proper LightMeter to calibrate it? Or can it be done "frugally" with a DSLR?

I'm not much knowledgeable with all that, still learning a lot, so any good information is welcome!
 
drapeama said:
Talking about the Luxi dome, I got it to go with my girlfriend's old iPhone 4 and I'm running the app from Luxi, which is free. It's a basic version but it seems to be quite accurate when I compare the reading with my Canon T2i. Pretty much same values with a -1 EV compensation in the app.

I'm wondering two things:
1) Would it worth purchasing the CineMeter II app? It seems more complete and gives the ND compensation, which is nice.
2) Any good information on how to calibrate it with a camera? I guess you would need a proper LightMeter to calibrate it? Or can it be done "frugally" with a DSLR?

I'm not much knowledgeable with all that, still learning a lot, so any good information is welcome!
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As I mentioned earlier - I calibrate the Cine Meter II app with my T2i or 6D using Magic Lantern. The ML white balance shows values for both color temp and green/magenta shift. Lovely.
 
DPStewart said:
As I mentioned earlier - I calibrate the Cine Meter II app with my T2i or 6D using Magic Lantern. The ML white balance shows values for both color temp and green/magenta shift. Lovely.
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Good tip. I just purchased CineMeterII and the Luxi. Have not had time to calibrate it yet. Could you please give specifics on your process. Would be helpful thanks.
 
Marc,

I advise also going for one of the Sekonic meters, too. I sent that Kenko meter back (3 stops off!) and finally decided on the Sekonic L 478D. Readings from it match my 45 year old L-28c and the LCD display is nice. Only negative is the crappy case that came with it, much like a soft eyeglass case. No matter, I bet I can find one at Wal-Mart for around $10.

I think I could get along fine with the L 308DC, both it and the L 478D will work with either HD or CINE settings, but I think I'm really going to like the L 478D whenever I need to reach for a meter.
 
Bruce Foreman said:
I advise also going for one of the Sekonic meters, too.
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Well, if it wasn't 300$CND here, it would certainly be a more tempting option. But as it's not something I use everyday for a living, it's just an expensive hobby, I can't really justify the purchase.. :\
 
drapeama said:
Well, if it wasn't 300$CND here, it would certainly be a more tempting option. But as it's not something I use everyday for a living, it's just an expensive hobby, I can't really justify the purchase.. :\
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I understand very well. Much of the time I was in business I was "budget challenged". Couldn't afford a decent flash meter and I had 3 camera rooms in my studio, each with it's own lighting kit. I still have the "el cheapo" Vivitar solid state meter that read out flash intensity with 9 red LEDs, and seemed to be accurate within half a stop. I could "refine" each lighting kit with a Polaroid back on a Mamiya RB-67 (digital hadn't come along yet).

You might look on ebay for a used analog Sekonic Studio or Studio Deluxe. Mine lasted 45 years, the leather case finally disintegrated a decade or so ago but the meter works as it should.

Good luck.
 
No one has mentioned the Gossen DigiSix (or the largely identical DigiSix 2) yet. It's super compact:

5409124169_656cb54719_d.jpg

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I wear it around my neck and forget that it's there. It's great for getting a quick reading or checking your key/fill ratios. You can dial in exposure compensation as well. It also has a clock, a timer (for timed photo exposures), and a thermometer built in. A minor caveat for Canon Cinema users: there is no option for ISO 850, only 800.

I also have the Sekonic L-478D because I love the idea of profiling each of my lenses on both of my cameras, but I've been fighting long and hard with this thing to get it work (I've found that the DTS software can be extremely frustrating).
 
That's just the cutest li'l baby meter you ever did see. Like a Ficher Price My First Light Meter size.

And I bet it works great. Gonna have to look into one of these.
 
Yeah, it's a cutie. Very functional though.

I can't tell what the difference between the first version and the second is. But if I had to do it again, I'd get the first version. The white shutter speed ring looks easier to read than the black one on the second model.
 
Gossen has an excellent reputation for very good meters. I did consider one of those. All quality meters are pretty pricey now.
 
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